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The Seventh Year
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Chapter Two, Part One
Schedules, Detention

Author's note: Am attempting to keep the story in canon. Since the first chapter was written pre-OotP, this may result in some inconsistencies. If you find them, please either post a review or email me, okay? Thanks a million. Thanks to all my reviews, you guys make me so happy :) Also, I do not have a beta reader, so if you find typos, please put them in your reviews as well!
p.s. Celtic Ember - I don't pair them! :) My only Snapeish story is the Antidote, and it's not a S/H romance... Hermione belongs to Ronniekins. :)

Ron was looking over both his schedule and his breakfast indifferently. He and Harry were pursuing the same career path, so it was no surprise that their schedules were identical. Harry's natural talent for defense against the dark arts had landed him already in pre-auror training, so Ron was grateful for whatever time they were still together.

Hermione, on the other hand, was taking more basic classes. She did not know what she wanted to do, so she was taking classes that she enjoyed. She was excluded from their advanced potions class (all poisons and antidotes) and of course was still not taking divination. At the moment she was shoveling eggs in as though she had been starved all summer.

"Harry," Ron said suddenly.

"Hrrmm?" Harry asked through a mouthful of custard.

"How is it that we are taking this auror-level potion course and we still get stuck with the Slytherins?"

"Really, Ron," said Hermione. "You don't think any of the Slytherins want to be aurors?" She swallowed a bit of toast. "You do realize it's something of a fad right now."

"Hermione," Ginny muttered warningly.

"Er, not that I think that's why you two want to be one or anything," she added quickly.

"We just want to make the world safe for you two," Harry said with a wink.

Ginny blushed. "Now you're just being silly."

"You don't think Malfoy's trying to become an auror? To get in good with the ministry or something?" Ron asked.

"Malfoy has about as much chance at becoming an auror as Gilderoy Lockhart," Ginny said. "He doesn't exactly have a good record, you know.

"Future aurors aren't the only ones allowed in the class," Harry said, reading from his own schedule.

"As a matter of fact, I happen to know that Draco is trying to become a potions master," said Hermione.

"Eh? And how would you know that?" demanded Ron.

"Because unlike some people, I keep my ears open."

"Right."

"Hurry up and eat, Ron, you're going to be late," said Ginny.

"Shut it, Ginny, you're starting to sound like mum."

"Shut it, both of you, you're starting to sound like..."

"Like Hermione," Ron finished, glaring at his sister.

"I'll take that as a compliment, dearest brother," she said, smiling sweetly at him.

Hermione pushed away from the table. "I'll see you two in transfiguration, and you at lunch, Ginny."

"Where are you going?" Ron asked.

"Library."

· · · · · ·

Ginny hadn't even known that the school had an old wand collection. She had cleaned her brothers' wands many times before, but this was ridiculous. Two hundred and fifty-seven so far, and there were at least another fifty on the table in front of her.

"Serves you right for getting caught, Weasley," she muttered.

"Gin," a voiced whispered in her ear.

Ginny turned around, but there was no one there. "Hello?" she whispered hesitantly. The air shimmered and Harry stepped out. Ginny jumped in fright. "What on earth-?"

"Sorry, Gin," Harry said sheepishly. "Invisibility cloak. I didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing here? You don't have detention, too, do you?"

"Er, no. Hermione and your brother are at it again . . . "

"Say no more," Ginny said, nodding. She and Harry had formed a bond over the summer. Hermione and Ron were fighting worse than ever, and each fight was longer than the next. Harry seemed to be on edge, and he would silently retreat at the first sign of a row. Nobody noticed but Ginny. One day she followed him out to the orchard. He was sitting with his back against a gnarled old apple tree. She had coaxed him out of his dark humor and got him laughing again. After that, it became a ritual, even a game. Harry would sneak out when Ron or Hermione got irritated, and Ginny would go to find him. It seemed to comfort him.

"What are they on about now?" Ginny asked.

"Hermione's beating Ron at wizard's chess. Ron thinks she must be cheating."

"And what do you think?" she asked.

"I think he's tired. He's been out at the Quidditch pitch every night. Hermione's given up trying to get him to do his own homework She just hands it over when he gets back in."

Ginny laughed. "Well, we're up against Slytherin first thing, aren't we? He'd better be down there practicing his arse off. We nearly didn't get the cup last year."

Harry blushed. "That was more my fault then Ron's. If it hadn't been for your last goal-"

"If you say so, love," Ginny interrupted. Now it was her turn to blush.

Neither one of them said anything for a bit.

"So what are you in for?" Harry asked at last.

"Ron didn't tell you? Never mind then, it doesn't..."

They heard footsteps.

"McGonagall's coming back. Hide," Ginny commanded.

"Miss Weasley. Perhaps if you would spend less time talking to yourself, and more time cleaning, you'd be finished by now."

"Professor, I've had the summer off. I really need to practice..."

Professor McGonagall sighed and dropped another cauldron down on the table. "Finish these and you can go ..."

Ginny looked pleadingly at her. "It's nearly dark already."

"I'm sorry, Miss Weasley. You'll have to practice tomorrow."

"Tomorrow Slytherin has the pitch."

"I'm sorry, but this must be finished," She turned abruptly and walked away. "The quicker you finish, the quicker you can go, Miss Weasley. Perhaps you'll think twice before skipping my class again."

As soon as the heavy door slammed closed, Harry was visible again. "Skipping class, Miss Weasley? What would your mother say?" He was grinning broadly.

Ginny was on him in a flash; she had him pinned against the cold stone wall. "Not a word to my mother, Harry Potter. I had a good reason."

He smiled right into her eyes. "And what would that be?"

She faltered and dropped her eyes, flushed to the ears. "I can't tell you - yet."

"Yet?" he prompted.

"Yet," she repeated with a nod. She let him go. "But I will, I promise." She blushed. "Er, Harry..."

"Hmmm?"

"Sorry for jumping you like that."

"I rather liked it."

· · · · · ·

"See?" Hermione said, sliding the last pawn back into place. "Perfectly legal, you insufferable git."

Ron's face was red, whether from embarrassment or residual anger, none could tell.

"Fine. Rematch?"

"Fine."

"How'd you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Remember the entire game backwards."

"I read it out of a book."

"You can't read chess out of a book!"

"Of course you can, Ron. You should take a trip down to the library sometime. You'd be amazed what you can find in a book."

He sighed. "Your move. Where's Harry got to, anyway?"

"Pawn to E5. He left when you started yelling at me."

"I wasn't yelling at you. You were yelling at me. Pawn to A6."

"Wasn't."

"Were."

"Wasn't."

"Were."

"Wasn't."

They played in absolute silence for about half an hour.

"Were. Checkmate."

Hermione huffed. "You win. Finished your antidotes essay yet?"

"Not yet. You?"

"I'm not in your potions class, Ron."

He smiled weakly at her. "I know, Hermione."

She scowled at him. "Well, come on, then. We ought to have been in bed an hour ago."

"I know. Thanks..."

"Hmmm," she replied.

Just then, then portrait hole slid open. First Ginny, then Harry slipped through.

"Everyone else gone to bed?" Ginny asked.

Ron looked around. "We hadn't noticed," he admitted.

"Well, I'm going, too. Coming, Hermione?"

"Sorry, Gin, I promised Ron to help with his essay," Hermione answered.

"Oh, alright. Don't be too long."

"I'll try."

"I guess I'll head to bed, too, then," Harry said reluctantly, watching Ginny leave. "Unless you two need me?"

"We're all right, mate," Ron said quickly.

"All right, then."

There was a deafening silence in the common room. "Right, I guess we should get to work, then," Ron prompted.

"Why was Harry with Ginny?"

"What?"

"Didn't you say Ginny had detention?"

"Oh. Yeah. Why?"

"Don't you think it's a little strange that Harry disappears while we're fighting and comes back with Ginny?"

"Not really. He did that all summer. You are a bit thick, aren't you?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah," she agreed absently. "Listen, Ron, I've just realized I'm quite tired, after all."

"Oh. Fine. Night, then."

Hermione chuckled and tucked her legs underneath her on the couch. "I didn't say I was going to bed. I said I was tired. I just don't feel like doing homework, that's all. Your essay isn't due until after the Quidditch game. It can wait."

Ron gaped at her. "Are you feeling all right, Hermione?"

"Fine, thanks. So what's going on with Ginny?"

"Eh? You stayed up to talk about Ginny?"

"I'm worried about her. D'you know she skived off transfiguration today?"

Ron sighed. "Yeah, I know."

"Any idea why?"

He shook his head. "Was hoping you would, actually. I thought it might be a girl thing."

"What do you mean, a girl thing? Ginny started her cycle years ago, Ron..."

Ron winced and covered his ears. "Too much information, Hermione. I meant, like sneaking off to see a boyfriend of something."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Was Harry in class all day?"

"Oh, come on, Hermione. Everybody knows my sister fancies Harry, but she's been dating around since her fourth year."

"Not anymore."

"Why not?"

"It's Harry's last year. It's her last chance to try and get him to like her before he leaves for good..." her voice trailed off.

"Yeah, that makes sense," Ron agreed grudgingly. "I reckon he already does, though."

"Yeah, I think so, too."

The fire crackled in the grate. Hermione shivered and pulled her robe closer over her shoulders.

"Hey, Hermione?"

"Hey, what?"

"Where are you going when school is over?"

"Like for the summer, or for school?"

"Both."

"Home for the summer, I guess. Then to Onicoeur. Not sure what I'm going to study, but I know I want to stay in school."

"Maybe you could come to the Burrow for the summer."

Hermione smiled. The reflected flames danced across her face, softening her features. "That would be fun, Ron," she whispered.

"Er," he paused. "You and Harry, I mean."

"Right," agreed Hermione. She sighed and stood up. "I'm going to bed."

"All right, then. 'Night."

"Night, Ron."

· · · · · ·

Half of the student population was missing. Some were the children of death-eaters or would-be death eaters, too ashamed or angry to return. Some were muggle borns whose parents were savvy enough to figure out that there children were in danger. Whatever the reason, every house was decimated, Gryffindor not the least. The dorm rooms were empty and lonely, so students were sharing across grade levels. Ginny and Hermione had willingly bunked up together.

The curtains on Ginny's bed were drawn, but Hermione could see the light of a candle through them. She poked her head through to the foot of the bed.

"Hullo, Gin? Awake still?"

Ginny grinned. "Don't you knock?"

Hermione climbed in and sat cross-legged on the end of the bed. "Sorry. What's going on?"

"You sound like Harry. 'Sorry this.' 'Sorry that.' 'Sorry your teacher's an arse.' 'Sorry Voldemort's evil, all my fault.' "

Hermioned laughed. "You sound like a little girl I used to know. 'Harry this, Harry that...'" she teased.

Ginny smiled. "I am that little girl."

"So... he came to pick you up after detention?"

"He came to rescue me during detention, wasn't that sweet? He even helped he finish polishing McGonagall's wand supply."

"That was nice."

"Nothing yet?"

"No." Ginny sighed. "I'm sure he fancies, me, though, the way he smiles at me now, it's different..."

"You know what, Gin?"

"What?"

"I think we're starting to sound like Lavendar and Parvati.

Ginny groaned. "You're right. More interesting subject than my nitwit brother and your fascinating friend-" Hermione rolled her eyes - "the rings. Any progress in the library today?"

"Nearly, but no. Ginny, did you know that there were wizards and muggles in ancient Egypt?"

"Of course!"

"Well, I didn't. They even have their own hieroglyphics. I was trying to use a muggle book to translate your brother's ring, but the letters are different. I found a wizard book today. I'll probably get to start tomorrow."

"Hermione... why don't you just copy the inscription off and send it to Bill? I'm sure he'd love to translate it for you."

Ginny's brother Bill, the oldest Weasley, worked in Egypt as a treasure hunter. "Why didn't I think of that?" Hermione groaned.

Ginny chuckled. "What about the others?"

"Well, mine is elvish. I can't find a book on that, though. For some reason, there are no books at all on elvish in Hogwarts library. I'm going to write mum and ask her to print some things out from my computer at home. The muggles seem to have more information that we do, isn't that odd? I haven't got to see Harry's ring, yet. And yours is the easiest."

"French, right? But I don't know what it means."

"It means, 'The heart has its reasons that reason can not know.'

Ginny sighed. "That's beautiful."

Hermione nodded. "It's a famous muggle quote. It reminds me of you, too."

"Why?"

"Because you loved Harry before you even knew why."

"So true... well, I knew why. His eyes. And his hair. And his shy smile. And..."

"We're talking about boys again, Ginny. Let's go to bed.

"G'night Hermione.

"'Night, Gin.

· · · · · ·

The seventh year boys dorm hadn't changed a bit. Neville was snoring loudly. Seamus had kicked his covers off and was sleeping with his face towards the floor. Harry was staring sleeplessly at the ceiling. Ron crept in and slipped into his bed.

"Hey, Harry."

"Hrrmmm?"

"Haven't kissed my sister, have you?"

"No, Ron. I haven't kissed your sister."

"All right, then. G'night, Harry."

"Hey, Ron?"

"What?"

"Haven't kissed Hermione, have you?"

"Hermione can bloody well go kiss herself."

"Right. Not yet, then. G'night Ron."